How Far I'll Let It Go
by Exiled Immortal
Summary: Because when you're going up against a Fire Demon it helps to bring along an Ice Queen. Elsa seeks an escape from her responsibilities in Arendelle; at Anna's suggestion she leads a diplomatic expedition to the far flung reaches of the world. Caught up in a storm like her parents before her, Elsa finds herself washed up on the shores of Motonui.
1. The Storm

AN: I'm a little surprised that no one else has tackled this idea yet. I have the whole thing outlined and I may or may not get around to finishing it. Reviews will certainly help. No one knows how far it'll go…

* * *

"Your Majesty, you must get below deck! The storm cannot be tamed!"

Elsa ignored the sailor's pleas as she concentrated, mustering the full breadth of her power in ways she had not done since her coronation. A layer of frost crept across the planks beneath their feet as a great floe of ice spread out from their vessel, attempting to anchor the ship amidst the roiling waves. All around her men were shouting and crates were sliding to and fro. Harsh rain stung like needles and the wind battered them mercilessly.

With a jolt the ship seemed to secure itself atop the iceberg Elsa had created. There was a shout from above, and the Queen of Arendelle looked up to see that one of the sailors had fallen while trying to climb one of the masts. Her arm whipped up to catch him in midair with a slide of ice that deposited the man safely onto a snowbank on deck.

Before Elsa could even catch her breath, the thunder roared with renewed intensity, as if the storm itself had sensed her defiance and now sought to crush it. Massive waves churned beneath them. The air crackled as a bolt of lightning struck the iceberg that kept them anchored, illuminating it for one terrible moment before it began to crack. Then came another bolt. And another. The ice crumbled and the wind howled with triumph.

This was no ordinary storm.

"Queen Elsa!" The sailor scrambled towards his liege but slipped on the icy deck, his fingers grasping for the hem of her dress. "The ship is lost! We've never seen anything like this! You must save yourself!"

"No!" Elsa cried stubbornly. "I am in command of this expedition! Your lives are my responsibility!"

Responsibility. It was to escape her responsibilities that she had embarked on this long journey to the far flung reaches of the world. She should have known that they would find her even here, even now. Elsa shut her eyes against the wind and rain as she prepared to do battle with the storm once more.

It was a mistake to have ever left Arendelle.

* * *

It had all started when Anna had found her passed out at her desk in her study, at some ungodly hour, surrounded by paperwork and melted candles. Elsa had awoken to a warm hand on her shoulder and a pair of blue eyes filled with concern.

"Elsa," Anna whispered. "Elsa, you promised me you wouldn't do this anymore."

Elsa forced herself upright and stifled an undignified yawn with one hand. "I'm sorry Anna. Time just got away from me. I thought I should finish reviewing the new taxes tonight, considering all the trouble they'll be causing the rest of the kingdom." She glanced balefully at the remaining pile of documents. "I suppose I might have bit off a little more than I could chew."

"A little?" Anna put her hands on her hips. "Elsa, you're going to work yourself to death like this! You've been at it night and day. Somehow you still find time for me, and I appreciate that, but I know it's been cutting into your sleep so don't even deny it. It's not healthy. When was the last time you took a break?"

Elsa shook her head. "You make it sound like spending time with you and Olaf and Kristoff and Sven is some kind of hardship."

"Hardship? No. Exhausting? Uh, yeah!" Anna smiled wryly. "Elsa, there's nothing wrong with taking time off for yourself. You deserve it."

"No I don't." The words slipped out in a whisper before Elsa could catch herself.

Anna's eyes widened, then hardened. "Is this about the eternal winter? I thought we were past this. Elsa, having some alone time doesn't mean you're shutting me out again or abandoning the kingdom. I know you know better than that. Talk to me."

For some reason Elsa could never refuse that firm tone in her sister's voice. She looked down and took a deep breath.

"Part of me misses it," Elsa admitted. "Not the loneliness, or the isolation. Never that. But that first night on the North Mountain, when I let my powers go… it was intoxicating. I can't even describe the sense of freedom. The wonder. The discovery."

"The adventure." Anna expression lit up with understanding.

Elsa nodded. "It kills me inside because to get that feeling I had to hurt everyone else. I had to hurt _you_. And now I can never get that feeling back, but I want to, and I know it's selfish so the guilt just eats away at me until I bury it all in work."

For a moment Anna just looked at Elsa with thoughtful sadness. Then she drew herself up with all the regal bearing of a true Princess of Arendelle.

"Right, that does it then. Elsa, you're going on an adventure!"

Elsa chuckled at the well-intentioned absurdity of that declaration until she noticed the determined glint in her sister's eyes.

"Anna, you can't be serious."

"Oh I'm serious! You know that diplomatic expedition we've been planning to the far reaches of the world? I'm thinking that the Queen should lead it herself. See new sights. Eat new foods. Discover new lands and peoples. Spend months far away from this stuffy old palace!"

Images of exotic lands and undiscovered wonders rose unbidden in Elsa's mind. Hope fluttered in her chest at the thought, but she quickly suppressed it to spare herself the inevitable disappointment.

"That sounds lovely, but I can't afford to abandon my duties for even a week," Elsa protested. "The business of the kingdom will not wait. The people are counting on me and—"

"Aren't you forgetting that the kingdom has a spare?" Anna jabbed a proud thumb at her own chest. "Leave it to me! I'll mind all that business while you're away."

"Anna, I don't think—"

"It'll be fine! I'll have Kristoff and Olaf and all of your advisors to help me." Anna paused and suddenly looked uncertain. "Unless you don't trust me?"

"No!" Elsa said quickly. "No it's not that. It's just, I'd worry about you, Anna. I never want us to be apart again. I swore I would always be there for you."

Anna stepped forward and pulled an unresisting Elsa into a hug.

"Oh Elsa. Remember when I used to sit outside the door to your room?" Anna said gently. "It was only a couple inches of wood that separated us then, and yet it felt like an ocean because you wouldn't open your heart to me. Now you have, and I promise that no matter what distance lies between us, we will always be close."

Finally allowing herself to believe it, Elsa looked up and smiled.

"Thank you Anna."

* * *

For months the trip had been everything Elsa had dreamed of. They had sailed beyond Corona, beyond the Southern Isles, beyond the boundaries of reliable maps and into the lands of rumor and legend. She had seen lions and apes on the savannah. She could've sworn she had seen mermaids frolicking below the surface of the water. The open ocean was vast beyond imagining and for the first time since the eternal winter Elsa truly felt free.

Then they had set course for the fabled Imperial City of China, which was to be the furthest and final stop on their long voyage. As they entered warm, tropical waters, the ocean had turned vicious with an abruptness that stunned even the most experienced sailors. There had been no almost warning before the black clouds and the black waves, as dark as ink, bore down on their vessel.

Elsa panted as she lifted her hands to freeze another wave solid before it could swallow them. This only created a dangerous obstacle in their path, and the sailors struggled mightily to guide the ship around it. More waves slammed against the new iceberg, which began to splinter under the pressure, showering them with dangerous chunks of ice. Elsa swept her arms overhead and intercepted each falling projectile with globs of tightly packed snow.

It couldn't last. Elsa had never figured out whether there was a limit to her powers, whether her magic could actually be exhausted, but it was becoming clear to her that even if her magic was infinite her body was flesh and blood and would tire like any other. The storm, her adversary, would never tire, and there were no limits to its power and its fury. On the edges of her consciousness Elsa became aware of another magic at work in this storm, with wrath but no cunning behind it, something primordial and elemental. She knew with chilling certainty that it was a magic greater than hers. It perceived her, and judged that she did not belong.

The ship and its crew would never be safe so long as she remained aboard.

"I'm sorry, Anna," Elsa whispered.

Ignoring the shouted protests of the crew, Elsa flung herself overboard and raised her arms in a final gesture of protection. A massive sphere of ice enveloped the ship, shielding it from the wind and waves, with enough water inside to keep the vessel floating upright no matter how great the upheaval outside might be. It was strenuous work for the work of an instant, but Elsa's fear had once brought about an eternal winter, and in that moment Elsa was very frightened indeed.

Her heart broke for Anna, who had lost their parents to a storm at sea and would now lose her sister in the same way. Elsa hoped the girl would not blame herself.

Then the Queen of Arendelle hit the water, and was instantly claimed by the ocean. She no longer had the strength to struggle as she sank into darkness. The last thing she was aware of was the sensation of being carried along with surprising gentleness by a warm current, destination unknown.


	2. Motonui

AN: A big thank you to those of you who took the time to review! Since there does seem to be some small interest in this story, I might as well expound a little on my vision for it. First and foremost, Moana is going to remain the heroine. It would be the easiest thing in the world to write a story about Elsa waving her hand and overpowering (or icing over) all the challenges in their path, but I think that would be a great disservice to Moana, and so I have contrived to ensure that the latter remains in the driver's seat despite her lack of superpowers. I also intend to maintain a relatively tight narrative focus; we'll be mostly following the events of the movie with Elsa's presence and chaos theory changing some things.

I am aware that there is a canonical discrepancy when it comes to the timing of the two films, but the dates are never mentioned in the movies themselves so I felt free to take some liberties. Also, it was hard enough to get Elsa into Polynesia, and I figured time travel would be pushing things a bit.

For anyone who cares, I do intend for this to be a Moana/Elsa story, but I want their relationship to be based on more than physical attraction so I have opted for a slower pace and careful development. I also reserve the right to change my mind if the chemistry isn't working out.

* * *

"We have one rule." Chief Tui of Motonui enunciated each word clearly for emphasis.

His daughter Moana turned to look at him from atop the fishing boat, an oar in one hand and an exasperated look on her face.

"An old rule, when there were fish!"

"A rule that keeps us safe!"

"But dad—"

"Instead of endangering our people, so you can run right back to the water!"

The Chief lifted Moana with his thick arms and placed her firmly back on the sand, glowering down at her. Their audience of village fishermen exhaled and looked at each other awkwardly. It felt like they were intruding on something deeply personal.

"Every time I think you're past this…" Tui snatched the oar from Moana and stormed off. "No one goes beyond the reef!"

* * *

Moana stalked down towards the beach with a long stick in hand, prepared to snap it into little pieces so that she could throw them like spears. It was childish, perhaps, but her father seemed to insist on treating her like a child when all she had been trying to do was suggest a solution for the village's problems. It's not like he'd had any better ideas. Accusing her of only wanting to explore the water, all but suggesting that she was selfish, that was uncalled for. It hurt.

With a frustrated sigh Moana pushed her way through the brush and towards her favorite palm tree, one of the ones that had tipped sideways and made for a comfortable seat. If she was honest with herself, the ocean did still call to her, and she did long to go beyond the reef, but she understood and embraced her responsibility to the tribe. She would _never_ put herself above them. Why didn't her father get that? Why didn't he get _her_?

As the beach came into view Moana grumpily looked out at the waves again. She was about to sit down when something at the edge of the water caught her eye. Peering closer, a gasp escaped her throat. It was a person. A dead body. Her angst forgotten, Moana sprinted forward to investigate. It looked like the poor soul had probably been decomposing for a while. Why else would they be so pale? Yet there was no obvious sign or smell of rot as she drew closer.

It was a girl, Moana realized as she halted in front of the body, which was lying face down and had long since lost its clothes. Nudity was nothing to lose your head about on Motonui, and the Chief's daughter examined the body with a steady gaze. Unusually slender, frail in appearance if she was honest, with the most peculiar coloration of hair and skin. It actually appeared to be natural and not something that had happened after death. The girl had been around Moana's age, maybe a couple years older if she had to guess.

Moana blinked. The ocean waves were rippling around the body strangely, almost as though trying to nudge it towards her. Was that a sign? She lifted the stick she had brought to the beach and bravely used it to turn the body over, revealing delicate facial features and—

"You're alive!" Moana gasped.

Indeed the gentle heave of the stranger's chest was undeniable proof that she was still breathing. Hearing a cry from the tree line, Moana looked over her shoulder to see her mother Sina staring at them with her hand over her mouth.

"Get help! Tell father!" Moana yelled urgently. "I think we can still save her!"

As her mother ran off to do just that Moana crouched down to take a closer look. The girl wasn't from Motonui, that much was clear, which meant she had been out there on the open ocean, the place where Moana could never go but always longed to be. Her heart and mind raced. If the stranger survived, if she woke up, she would be able to tell them what was out there. It felt like a whole new world of possibilities had opened up and Moana now stood on its threshold.

"Hang in there, whoever you are," Moana muttered.

* * *

Voices. Unfamiliar and strangely accented. They drifted through Elsa's consciousness as if from far away.

"First the fish disappear and now this? It's a bad omen I tell you."

"You think she is the one who scared away the fish?"

"And poisoned the trees."

"She doesn't look dangerous."

"How would you know? We've never seen the likes of her before."

Elsa tried to speak but her words came out as little more than a faint groan. Still, it was enough that the voices fell silent. Where was she? Her head spun with indistinct memories of a terrible storm and a plunge into darkness. Somehow Elsa knew that she wasn't supposed to be awake, not ever again. Yet her throat was parched and bitter with the taste of the sea, and the weariness in her limbs could only belong to the realm of the living.

A cup of some kind was brought to her lips, and Elsa allowed its contents to be dribbled into her mouth. It felt like water, but it had a sweetness to it which, in that moment, seemed like the sweetest nectar she had ever tasted. With difficulty, she swallowed. More liquid came and she gulped it down greedily.

"There you go," said an elderly female voice, deep and soothing. "So at least you enjoy the water of the coconut as much as the rest of us, hm?"

With a herculean effort, the Queen of Arendelle managed to crack her eyes open. Through a blurry haze she could make out a wrinkled face, dark eyes, and white hair.

"I am Tala of Motonui," the woman said. "It has been many years, before even my time, since this island has had a visitor from beyond our shores. We find you very interesting indeed, strange one. Your hair is like the sun on the sands, and your skin is as white as bone itself."

"And look, her eyes are blue like the sea!"

Tala leaned close and spoke in a conspiratorial whisper. "Say, are you a ghost or a demon?"

Fearful now, Elsa shook her head.

"A demigoddess then? Or a magical creature in human form? Ah, a dolphin perhaps? A bird?"

"I am human," Elsa croaked at last. "But I fear that I'm very far from home."

"A pity," Tala declared. "I've always wanted to speak with the birds. They squawk so loud and interrupt my afternoon naps. I wish I could tell them to turn it down."

Before Elsa could begin to formulate a response to that, another voice spoke up, this one male and full of authority.

"That's enough, mother. I would speak with this stranger myself."

A man came into view, bare chested but as tall and strong as any that Elsa had ever seen. He wore a headdress decorated with shells and feathers, and around his neck was an impressive necklace of large fangs. It was obvious that he was a leader among these people, perhaps even the king.

"My name is Tui Waialiki. I am the Chief on this island of Motonui," he said evenly. "I wish to know who you are, how you came to our shores, and what your intentions are."

"I, I'm Elsa. I fell into the water." Elsa grimaced as she realized how silly that sounded. "The waves must have carried me here. I intend only to return home as soon as I can."

"Where is your home? You mentioned it was far."

"Arendelle. The Kingdom of Arendelle."

"I have never heard of such a place. How is it that you could have travelled such a distance?"

"We came by ship. A big one. Big enough to carry a hundred men across the oceans."

At that a low murmur ran through the room. To the left a teenage girl perked up, her eyes dancing with excitement. Elsa met her gaze for a lingering moment. There was something reassuring about seeing such eager acceptance from what appeared to be the youngest person in the room. Then the Chief cleared his throat, and Elsa realized that his jaw had tightened and expression darkened. Her heart sank.

"You should not have come. These are dangerous seas," Tui said. "And for what purpose would you need so many men, so close to our home? Did you mean to conquer the island?"

"No. No, we were on a mission of peace."

"There was already peace here without outsiders and their ships."

Disoriented, exhausted, and overwhelmed by the interrogation on top of everything else, Elsa suddenly found it difficult to breathe. Her life might depend on giving the right answers phrased the right way, but she was in no condition to think straight. To her horror, she felt a familiar crinkling of frost under her fingertips. Her fear was taking over. It was hidden by the blanket that covered her body, for now, but at any moment they would see it and know that she had magic and then—

"Dad, you're scaring her!"

"Stay back, Moana."

The teenager Elsa had spotted earlier ignored the warning and stepped around the Chief, her father. She looked to be some years younger than Elsa, but she moved with pride and was more solidly built than the women of Arendelle. Something about her expression, the determination in her eyes, reminded Elsa of Anna. Even the name bore a resemblance. Without conscious thought, Elsa relaxed and the frost receded.

"She just had a brush with death and you're treating her like an enemy!" Moana said. "Shouldn't we give her some room to breathe and a chance to explain herself?"

Old Tala lay a hand on the Chief's shoulder. "I think, my son, that your daughter speaks wisely in this." She turned and nodded at Elsa. "Tell us your story, strange one. At your own pace."

Elsa smiled gratefully and took a moment to gather her thoughts. Then, haltingly, but with growing confidence, she began to speak. She told them about the Kingdom of Arendelle, the diplomatic mission, the ship, their long journey, and finally the terrible storm. She told them everything, leaving out only the parts about her magic and being the Queen. When she was done the room was silent.

"You see now, Moana?" Chief Tui turned to his daughter. "There is nothing out there on the ocean but storm and sorrow. Even the mightiest ships with a hundred sailors will be overcome."

That wasn't quite what Elsa had said, but Moana looked a little more subdued anyway.

"Ever since the heart of Te Fiti was taken, our waters have been unsafe for a thousand years," Tala muttered. "The darkness continues to spread. It creeps ever closer. I think, strange one, that its jaws found your ship in that storm."

Elsa closed her eyes and furrowed her brow. Not all of what the old woman said made sense to her, but she understood enough; they had unwittingly sailed into dangerous waters and the storm had merely been a symptom of some greater curse.

"If that is the case," Elsa said sadly, "I hope that my companions will return to safety and not stay to look for me. Although that will mean I might never see my home again."

Moana knelt down and took Elsa's hand. "Don't worry. You can stay with us until we've figured something out."

"Moana!" Tui looked exasperated. "We know nothing about her! It might not be safe."

"Well what would you rather do? Throw her back in the water? She has nowhere else to go!"

Before the argument could escalate Tala stepped between the father and daughter, separating the two, although her eyes were fixed on Elsa.

"It is no coincidence that you washed up on our island, strange one," she declared. "The ocean itself delivered you from that storm and brought you to us. You are here to serve a greater purpose."

"Mother—"

"I am sure of that much," Tala insisted. "This has all happened for a reason."

Tui closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "All who stay in this village must play a role. She does not know our ways."

"I'll teach her!" Moana volunteered. "She can help me out around the island."

"You must be sure."

"I'm sure. I can do it. _We_ can do it."

The Chief pressed his lips together into a thin line, thinking it over. At last he fixed Elsa with a serious look.

"You may stay, but so long as you are with our tribe you will follow our rules and do what my daughter tells you." He then turned to Moana. "Having a servant is not as easy as it sounds. You will be responsible for whatever happens to her, and for whatever she happens to do. Make sure that she does not become a burden on the village. We cannot afford one with the poor harvest and empty fish traps."

"I understand." Moana nodded and turned expectantly towards Elsa.

From Arendelle to Motonui, from frozen fjord to sunny shore, from Queen to servant. Elsa was still having trouble processing everything that had happened and was happening, but she had enough wits about her to recognize that she had little choice in the matter.

"I accept."

"Oaths are important among our people," Tui said meaningfully.

Elsa nodded. "As they are among mine."

"Will you swear one?"

Elsa hesitated and looked again at Moana. There was no guile on that face, just the kindness and encouragement that again reminded her so much of her sister. It was only temporary, she reasoned, and it could be so much worse.

"I will follow your rules and do as you say," Elsa promised her. "For as long as I am with you. I swear it."

* * *

AN: I think it'll take another chapter for Elsa to get settled in on Motonui, and then, assuming I continue with this, they'll be off to sea once more. Please continue to review and let me know your thoughts; I was only able to update this quickly because I was touched and motivated by your comments thus far.


	3. Ice Fishing

AN: Due to real life responsibilities I intended to put this story on the backburner early, but the response so far has been so positive that I've decided to leave you with at least one more chapter for now. To those of you who reviewed, favorited, and followed, thank you. I actually wanted to thank each and every one of you with private messages but I figured you would prefer it if I spent that time working on this update instead. So here we are.

Parts of this were a little rushed due to lack of time but hopefully no one will be the wiser. I intended it to go longer as well, but I felt that this was a natural place to end it.

I know many of you are eager to see Maui, and I promise that if I get a chance to continue this story he will show up at the appropriate time. Your continued feedback and enthusiasm, as always, will remain near and dear to me and ensure that I do not forget about this story.

* * *

Elsa held the coconut as firmly as she could, breathless in trepidation, as she stared down at the wooden stake and its sharpened end.

"There you go," Moana said encouragingly. "Just crack it with one strong motion. All it takes is—ah!"

Instead of being impaled the coconut slid right off of the point, causing the wood to graze Elsa's hand. She winced as Moana hurried to check on her. The Queen of Arendelle stared at the broken skin and the red pinpricks of blood weeping from the wound. Actual, physical pain had been such a rare sensation for her that she couldn't help but be a little fascinated.

The pain, however, was fleeting. It was the embarrassment and sense of uselessness that Elsa found to be the deeper wound.

"Just a scratch," Moana assured her. "You'll be fine! Don't worry about it."

As one of her first lessons Elsa had learned from Moana the importance of the coconut to the way of life on Motonui; the strange plant seemed to provide just about everything the village needed, from kindling to food and drink. Elsa had been eager to handle one, but for all her grace and poise her arms had proven too weak to even open it.

It was much the same story when Elsa tried cooking a simple pork dish for lunch; at first she had burned the first batch, and then she had added too much sea salt, rendering the second inedible. All the magic at her command wouldn't fix that disaster. Her confidence destroyed, Elsa could only wring her hands as she apologized to Moana.

The younger girl appeared flummoxed, but was careful not to betray any impatience or irritation. Instead she patiently demonstrated how to properly carry out each task and then sat with Elsa as they ate Moana's deliciously prepared pork.

"You'll get better with practice," Moana said. "Until then, let's just figure out what you're good at right now. Everyone's good at something. What did you used to do when you were back home?"

Elsa traced idle circles in her clothing as she considered how to answer that. She had been given a spare garment to wear in a single, plain color that reminded her of flax. Like most clothing on Motonui it had been woven by hand from plant fibers. It consisted of a simple dress that left her shoulders bare and halted above her knees, with a loose skirt of dangling grasses over that. Among the fusty aristocracy of Arendelle revealing so much skin would have been scandalous, but Elsa found it delightfully liberating. It suited the sunny climate and matched her hair.

"I was a leader among my people," Elsa admitted. "It wasn't something I chose, and sometimes I wonder whether I was really up to the task, but it's all I ever knew."

Moana's expression turned sympathetic. "Oh, I get that. No one ever asked me if I wanted to be the next great chief of Motonui. I mean, it's not like I don't love the island, and it's not like I don't want to lead or anything. I do. I really do. It's just…" She trailed off as she gazed absently towards the sea. "I wonder what more is out there. I guess you'd know better than me. But there's always something else to worry about around here, and my dad can't stand to see me so much as touch the water. He's weird like that."

Elsa studied the other girl, dressed more vividly in her red garb. The Queen of Arendelle couldn't help but be impressed by the strength and confidence that Moana carried herself with. So much of a Queen's role was about appearances, whereas Moana was a girl of action. It made Elsa feel superficial and inadequate in ways she had never even considered before.

"Am I," Elsa hesitated. "I'm not a bother to you, am I?"

Moana looked at her in surprise. "Of course not. You're my responsibility."

The plain conviction in those words left a strong impression on Elsa. Moana didn't see responsibility as a burden in the same way that she did; the Chief's daughter was truly a natural leader. Beyond that, the idea of Elsa being someone _else's_ responsibility for a change was strange but oddly comforting. It reminded her of the time she had gotten sick on Anna's birthday, leaving her sister to take care of her. A tickling warmth blossomed inside her.

"Of course, I probably shouldn't have tried to introduce you to cooking so quickly," Moana sighed. "The latest coconut harvest didn't go so well, and there haven't been any fish around the island lately. I think we might have better luck fishing beyond the reef, but my dad won't hear of it. If things get much worse, we're going to miss every scrap of pork."

Elsa raised her hand to her mouth. "I'm so sorry. I had no idea."

"Forget it, I shouldn't have brought it up," Moana said as cheerfully as she could manage. "Hey, do they have dancing where you're from?"

Startled, Elsa blinked. "Of course. I never really partook but—"

"Well come on! Some of the girls should be practicing right about now, so you can watch and learn. It's not hard, you'll pick it up fast, I promise!"

Elsa allowed herself to be led along by the hand. Soon enough she was staring at the village women as they swayed and flourished their arms in perfect sync, their dance hypnotic and like nothing she had ever seen in Arendelle. Moana, as in everything else, seemed to be the best. Elsa found her attention kept returning to the other girl, transfixed by the powerful ebb and flow of her motions.

* * *

That night, silhouetted under the light of the moon and stars, a thin figure slipped out of a lonely hut. It retrieved a woven basket from a pile, walked under the palm trees and through the brush, and made its way down to the ocean. As it reached the beach it paused to look around surreptitiously. Assured that it was alone, the figure dipped one slender leg into the surf as if testing the temperature. With sparkles of purple and blue the water turned to ice at the touch. For a moment the figure stared out at the waves as if lost in thought. Then it shook its head and stepped forward.

Instead of sinking into the shallows the figure practically glided across the surface of the water, freezing a narrow path beneath its feet as it approached the reef that surrounded the island and formed its natural barrier against the full wrath of the sea. That barrier proved to be no obstacle, as an arcing bridge of ice provided safe passage above the violent waves. Then there was nothing to be seen but ocean and sky.

"It almost feels like I could walk home from here," Elsa mused.

Dark minutes passed as she wandered the placid seascape, her own personal kingdom of isolation. Every now and then she would send bright tendrils of frosty magic skittering over the water, illuminating the depths below. There was no sign of her quarry at first, but Elsa was as patient as ice. Then, there they were; darting shadows, a school of fish, perhaps attracted by the unnatural light.

With a flick of her wrist, Elsa froze them all in a block of ice.

As the ice rose to the surface Elsa gently thawed it from the top down until only a small platform remained, piled high with fresh fish killed by the shock. Her fingers slipped when she tried to place the first one into her basket; the Queen of Arendelle had never handled raw fish before. She was more careful with the others, and had soon gathered up the entire catch.

Lifting the basket itself turned out to be a challenge, as her back protested against the weight of it. Physical labor was tougher than Elsa had imagined. It shamed her a little, that she had never truly considered how hard her subjects needed to work in Arendelle. Everyone had to work hard in Motonui, and Elsa wasn't going to allow herself to be an exception. With the basket more or less secure, Elsa turned around to head back to the island and gasped as she discovered that she wasn't alone.

Moana stood in her path, her eyes narrowed and her arms crossed.

Elsa didn't move, didn't speak. What could she say? When it became clear that Elsa wasn't going to react, Moana stepped so close that their faces were almost touching, her eyes blazing and her chin raised as if daring Elsa to use her powers on her. Although Elsa was the older and taller of the two she felt herself shrink like a child caught with her hand in the cookie jar.

"So," Moana said at last. "When I asked what you were good at, it looks like you forgot to mention a thing or two."

* * *

AN: Sorry to leave you hanging like that! The past week has been a bit crazy and my head is all over the place right now. I don't know when I'll be able to refocus again, but I'll try to get back to it when I can.


	4. No More Secrets

AN: Surprise, I'm back! I told you the story would never be abandoned so long as interest was there, and there certainly seems to be interest. It looks like there's at least 120 of you out there waiting to read more, and while I wish more of you would drop some reviews, I felt guilty about leaving you all hanging. I still can't promise regularly scheduled updates, but I can promise that I read every one of your reviews and that each of them helps motivate me to write the next chapter. Without further ado, let's do this.

* * *

"Gramma Tala was right! You're a spirit, or a demigoddess, or a—"

"I'm not!" Elsa said pleadingly. "Please, I really am just from far away, I mean you no harm. I only wanted to help!"

Moana looked her up and down suspiciously, but as her eyes fell upon the basket full of fish she finally relaxed a little. Elsa awaited her judgment nervously. The chief's daughter took a deep breath and unfolded her arms.

"Is everyone from Arendelle like you?" Moana asked.

Elsa shook her head. "No. I was the only one. I was, am, the Queen."

"A Queen, huh?" Moana raised an eyebrow. "Well we don't have any of those on Motonui."

"I know."

"Don't expect any special treatment."

"I won't." Elsa looked down. "Are you going to tell the rest of the village?"

Moana reached out with one finger and lifted Elsa's chin until they had eye contact again.

"Why hide your powers? Why not tell us?"

"I was afraid," Elsa admitted. "I wasn't sure what would happen to me if you knew. And when I feel frightened or unloved, I lose control of my powers. If you hadn't defended me when we first met, there's no telling what might have happened."

"And what happens if you lose control? Would there be danger to the tribe?"

Elsa nodded sadly. "The whole island."

Moana's face scrunched up, but while there was concern in that expression, she didn't look frightened. If anything her eyes were sympathetic as she stared at Elsa as though unsure of what to do with her.

"It's happened before, hasn't it?"

Elsa nodded again.

"How did you solve it?"

"My sister's love. And what little courage I was able to muster."

Moana exhaled. "Well, I know what my father would say. He would want you off the island by dawn. But what he doesn't know won't hurt him. Right?"

Elsa felt like she had lost her voice. She nodded once more, vigorously.

"Then I'll keep this to myself, and we'll work together to make sure the village stays safe," Moana said with conviction. "But no more secrets, Elsa. I mean it."

"Whatever you say," Elsa said earnestly.

"Alright then. Let's bring this back to the village. They'll be glad to see the catch." Moana easily plucked the heavy basket out of Elsa's arms and began carrying it back to shore. "So, what's it like being a Queen anyway?"

Elsa hastened to follow. "Well, for one thing I'm not used to carrying a whole lot of fish."

Moana laughed.

* * *

Elsa felt a thrill of satisfaction as the coconut shell cracked against the wooden stake in the ground. With Moana's patient guidance and plenty of practice, she had improved in all her duties. With a discreet flash of magic, Elsa chilled the sweet liquid inside the coconut and then presented it to Moana, who was grinning from a shaded tree branch. Almost unconsciously Elsa found herself adopting the deferential posture she'd seen in her castle servants, bowing her head slightly as she waited on the chief's daughter.

"Mmmm." Moana smacked her lips after sipping the beverage. "You know, for the longest time I thought that coconut water couldn't get any better. I'd never had it this cold."

Elsa swelled with pride. "I'm glad it pleases you."

"Go on, have one yourself! Don't worry, I won't tell the others. They don't know what they're missing."

Elsa quickly obeyed and joined Moana on the branch. They clacked their coconuts together in a toast (something that Elsa had taught Moana for a change) as they drank and chatted. As it turned out, sharing a secret had brought the two girls closer in the few days since their confrontation at the reef. Elsa was in full and confident control of her powers, encouraged by the fact that Moana had never for a moment shown any fear of her. If this younger girl wasn't scared, Elsa had decided that she wouldn't be either.

"So explain to me this ice thing again," Moana said. "I thought it was just magic, but you're telling me that it's actually water? And this happens naturally?"

"It's actually quite common where I come from," Elsa confirmed. "When water gets cold enough, it becomes solid, like a crystal. That's what freezing is."

"Wow. Yeah, we don't get a lot of that around here." Moana glanced up at the tropical sun. "How strong are your powers anyway? Have you tested them much?"

"More than I should have."

Moana glanced around surreptitiously. Sina, her mother, was weaving palm fibers with the village women nearby. Their attention was focused on their work.

"Could you make a path across the ocean?" Moana whispered.

Elsa hesitated. "I could make a ship, but even if we set sail with it, all of my powers were weren't enough to overcome the storm. In truth, as strange as this sounds, I think that using my powers might have attracted the storm in the first place. The best I could do was take steps to save my crew."

Moana frowned. "Well if your crew is still out there maybe we should go looking for them."

"Your father is still chief," Elsa reminded her gently. "I don't think it's a good idea to defy him."

"Of course." Moana scowled. "My dad the chief. He's never wrong, is he? He knows all about everything, everything except me!"

Elsa winced. Moana hadn't seemed to notice how loud she had become. Before Elsa could try to calm the other girl, a shadow fell upon them and a new voice interjected.

"He _was_ you."

They looked up to find Sina standing over them worriedly, a bundle of fabrics folded in her arms. The two girls listened with rapt attention as she launched into a story about how Tui, in his youth, had crossed the reef in a canoe with his best friend. Elsa felt her heart sink as Sina described the unforgiving seas and the storm that had claimed the life of that friend.

"That's exactly like what happened to me," Elsa murmured.

Sina nodded grimly and turned to Moana. "Take it from those who have seen it. Sometimes, who we wish we were, what we wish we could do, it's just not meant to be."

For the first time since Elsa had met her, Moana looked lost and confused. Seeing that her message had been received, Sina quietly left them alone with their thoughts. Elsa watched as Moana clenched her fists, wrestling visibly with herself. The chief's daughter cast one last rebellious glance out towards the ocean. Then she looked at Elsa. Her mouth open as if to say something, and then closed.

Elsa grimaced as Moana let out a strangled noise of frustration and stomped off back to the village.

* * *

Moana remained quiet for the rest of the day even as Elsa, in accordance with her duties, did her best to prepare a dinner of fish, speared on a stick and grilled over a fire. After that night at the reef they had been able to pass off Elsa's catch as a lucky haul from the traps. The extra food couldn't have come at a better time; a clan meeting would be called soon to discuss the empty nets and Elsa's arrival. It was inevitable that the two issues would become conflated, but now it worked to their advantage; some of the villagers were beginning to whisper that Elsa's arrival might signal a turn in fortunes and not the bad omen that they had feared.

Elsa retrieved the fish from the flames, a faint haze of magic shielding her delicate fingers from the heat as she worked. The food had turned out quite edible, if simple in flavor, but Moana didn't even seem to notice as she chewed mechanically. Her eyes were on the ground and her thoughts somewhere far away. She looked very alone, something that Elsa could empathize with. For some reason it gnawed at her heart to see Moana in such obvious melancholy.

After the meal Elsa watched as Moana collected the pig named Pua, which she seemed fond of, and stole away into the night. She was heading down towards the beach. Without conscious thought, Elsa followed. If Moana noticed her she gave no indication of it.

As they walked beneath the bright moonlight a plan began to form in Elsa's mind.

Moana came to a halt some thirty paces away from the water and set Pua down on the sands. The little pig nuzzled her ankles as Moana stared out at the waves in longing. Decision made, Elsa squared her shoulders and twirled her wrist. Oblivious to Pua's squeaks of confusion, Moana didn't even notice the clouds forming above her head until the first snowflake landed on her nose. Startled, she looked up, gasped, and then turned back to Elsa just in time to receive a snowball to the face.

Moana wiped her face and stared. Elsa smiled and shrugged her shoulders. The snow was falling gently but rapidly all around them now, accumulating at a rate that could only be called magical. A mischievous grin spread Moana's face, and the chief's daughter bent over to scoop up some snow to retaliate. In no time at all the two girls were chasing each other across the empty beach, laughing as they pelted each other with snowballs.

"What is this stuff?" Moana asked in wonderment.

"It's snow!" Elsa grinned. "It's like ice, but powdered. Would you believe it falls from the sky in Arendelle? Like rain."

Instead of replying Moana hurled a snowball with terrific aim, catching Elsa off guard. Elsa instinctively conjured a shield of ice, and the projectile splatted against it harmlessly.

"Cheater!" Moana laughed.

That prompted an escalating competition as Moana pursued Elsa with the strength and skill of a seasoned hunter, firing snowballs off with a speed and accuracy that was fairly intimidating. On the other hand, Elsa stuck strictly to evasion and defense, using increasingly creative flourishes of magic to defend herself and place obstacles in Moana's path. Pua also seemed to be having the time of his life as he romped through the snow after the girls, squealing in delight.

Finally Moana slid down an ice slide and leaped to her feet just in time to catch Elsa with a snowball as she was jumping from one elevated pillar to another. Elsa yelped and tumbled into a snowbank. She emerged laughing, but as she brushed snow from her face she heard Moana gasp.

Elsa opened her eyes to find herself staring at a pair of old and wrinkled feet supported by a wooden stick. Her heart skipped a beat. Slowly, her gaze traveled upwards to discover Moana's grandmother Tala looking down at her with a crooked smile and a knowing glint in her eyes.

Moana ran up to them with Pua in her arms and a worried expression on her face.

"Whatever just happened," Tala said, "blame it on the pig."

* * *

AN: And there you have it, the long awaited update! I feel like I covered a decent amount of ground here, but if I could disregard such minor things as pacing and build up I would've liked to skip straight to the part where our girls leave the island and head out into the open ocean. As things stand, that's unlikely to happen until the end of the next chapter at earliest. But we'll get there. Assuming that the interest in this story is still strong, we will get there. It is your feedback and encouragement that willed this update into existence, and it will be your feedback and encouragement that keeps me coming back. I'm really eager to get the actual adventure started, and I already have the ending planned out. I hope we get that far, because it's going to be pretty great.


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